The Mint 400: The ultimate racing test of man vs. machine
Off-road race fans love the challenges The Mint 400 drivers face going through our Mojave Desert, one of the most hostile and unforgiving territories in North America. They risk everything in the 400-mile looped race, and less than half of them make it to the finish line.
It is the ultimate racing test of man vs. machine. Just beyond the shimmering glow of the Las Vegas Strip is an apocalyptic region of jagged stone, gravel pits, deep silt beds, piercing cactus and temperatures in excess of 120 degrees.
Fans also love the gorgeous girls at the race. The race originally featured the stunning Mint 400 Girls. Over the years, they included Lynda Carter (“Wonder Woman”) and Vanna White (“Wheel of Fortune”).
Tracy Vaccaro and Dona Speir were Playboy centerfolds, Vickie Reigle graced Playboy’s cover, and Lisa Soule, Anita Merritt, Angela Aames, Lisa Hunter and Suzanne Regard appeared in television and film.
The curves, thrills and spills of the obstacle course also have the men gazing in awe. This seemingly untamable landscape boasts a race course like no other that since 1968 has tested the strength and willpower of an elite group of racers.
For nearly 50 years, The Mint 400 has held the title of the oldest and most challenging off-road race in North America, and each year 350 teams in 25 classes of off-road vehicles battle one another and Mother Nature for a shot at history.
The five days of action start Wednesday with yours truly as grand marshal. I’ll ride the Odyssey Battery lead car along the Strip from Gene Woods Racing Experience Go-Kart near McCarran to the kickoff party at Fremont Street.
Time trials, pit crew challenges and mandatory drivers and helicopter pilots meetings are Thursday and Friday Downtown, then I’ll drop the green flag Saturday at Buffalo Bills in Primm for the race back to town. Here’s a video documentary of last year’s race:
The history of The Mint 400 is steeped in as much celebrity, drama and excitement as the city of Las Vegas itself. The Mint 400 has held the title of the toughest, most spectacular off-road race in North America since 1967 when it was first run.
The race was created by Norm Johnson, who was race director through 1974 and a participant from 1969 to 1982. The race was initially a public-relations event promoting The Mint Hotel’s annual deer hunt, but it grew into a legitimate desert race.
The second year, Norm enlisted the help of his friends, racecar drivers Mel Larson and Parnelli Jones. With their endorsements and a prize purse of $30,000, participation grew exponentially. Entrants were worldwide and included well-known names from many racing genres, as well as the TV and film industry.
The list included Indianapolis 500 winners Parnelli, Al Unser, Rick Mears and Rodger Ward; off-road champions Mickey Thompson, Ivan Stewart, Jack Flannery and Walker Evans; off-road competitor Rod Hall; power boat champion Bill Muncey; actors James Garner and Steve McQueen; comedian Mort Sahl; and astronaut Gordon Cooper.
The Girls of The Mint 400 added glamour in 1972. Hundreds of entries were received from contestants from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe. The Mint 400 race ended in 1988 after the sale of The Mint, but a decade later the story resumed in 2008 when The Great American Off-Road Race was revived.
Bigger, badder and better than ever, The Mint 400 is everything that it was and more. Given the advances in off-road technology and ever-changing landscape of Las Vegas, The Mint 400 has grown, but all the classic elements are still intact.
The race attracts professional race teams and weekend warriors, all of whom wage war against one another and the looped race course from Primm to Las Vegas. The Polaris RZR Mint 400 is presented by BF Goodrich Tires, a brand that revolutionized the all-terrain tire.
The Mint 400 partnership allows BF Goodrich to engage with the off-road community with three days of free prerace festivities, including The Mint 400 vehicle parade, the annual pit crew challenge and tech and contingency on Fremont Street, as well as at the race and through broadcast on NBC Sports.
“We were ecstatic when BF Goodrich became involved with The Mint 400 last year,” said Mint 400 CEO Matt Martelli. “To have them back again this year as our presenting sponsor and media partner is essential to our vision of not just The Mint 400, but desert off-road racing as a culture. They have been a pillar of off-road racing and huge advocate of off-road culture.”
BF Goodrich is coming off another historic year of off-road racing success with more desert race wins than any other tire manufacturer. With Justin Lofton’s back-to-back win at The Mint 400 in 2016, BF Goodrich claimed its fourth consecutive and 27th overall title.
“BF Goodrich Tires has written much of its history in off-road through desert racing,” said Stephen Peters, tire brand director. “Sponsoring The Mint 400 provides the signature event we were looking for in the United States and allows us to demonstrate product performance and development activities around the off-road enthusiast community.”
The overall winner on BF Goodrich Tires takes home $10,000. Justin is aiming for the three-peat, fighting off top drivers Rob MacCachren, Bryce Menzies, Jason Voss and more on the company’s new 40″ Baja tires.
Join us for the thrilling action! Cheer us on as we parade down the Strip on Wednesday, then after I drop the green flag as grand marshal, root for your favorite drivers during the 400-mile race Saturday.
